Mechanical River, the creative musical project of longtime Charleston scene staple, Joel Hamilton, will release a new album, Parts Work, on October 18th. This is the first full-length Mechanical River album since 2017’s Posterity.
They will celebrate on the day of the album release with a show on the Charleston Pour House main stage, with support from The Shrimp Records Family band, featuring comedy group Nameless Numberhead, and Cary Ann Hearst (of Shovels & Rope) & friends.
Today, the first single from Parts Work, “Every Leaf”, was released. Stream it below, and read on for a full interview with Joel about the new record, including what took him so long to finish it.
Mechanical River – “Every Leaf” (2025)
Interview with Joel Hamilton of Mechanical River: Parts Work
“I really like making songs,” Joel begins. “I really like being in the moment with that form of creation, and with other humans, forming, collaborating. This aspect of it is not my strong suit. Buttoning things up and putting my face in front of a computer screen so that I can navigate the distribution process and get all my files in order.”
When he sat down to gather the songs for this record, Joel says that he had amassed over 60 different songs, spanning eight years of his life.
Naturally, it was daunting to go through that many songs, and whittle them down to the eleven tracks that make up Parts Work. For Joel, this was especially challenging because his feelings about certain parts of them had changed.
Naming Parts Work
“The name of this album originates with the song Ok Ok,” Joel explains. “I’d been performing that one for a couple years and started to feel uncomfortable and disconnected with part of the lyrics in the chorus, I don’t care about you cuz you don’t care about me.“
When he decided to put “Ok Ok” on the album, he considered changing the lyrics and re-recording just that part of the song.
“But this was an opportunity for me to solidify my understanding that a large part of this practice can and has been for me, parts work,” Joel continues. “Which is in a sense acknowledging all of the parts of me.”
Joel says that he strives to be less fractured, more whole, and avoid repressing or denying parts of him that will otherwise find their way out “sideways,” in an unconscious way that he’d be blind to and unable to control.
“There was a part of me feeling exactly that way at the time when I wrote and recorded those lyrics,” he says. “And it needed to come out. Needed a voice. And recordings are snapshots. Songs are snapshots.”
He acknowledges that if he is unable to put a bow on a song, to call it done for what it is at the time of recording, then he will never be comfortable releasing his music.
“I acknowledge paradox. I believe change is constant I am a person who cares. Very deeply. And I am a person who needs to shout I DON’T FUCKING CARE sometimes.”
So, Joel finished his record. The result is a thoughtful collection of parts, each one with different sonic tones & textures that make for a truly engaging play-through, because the creative and personal evolution of Joel himself is the common thread.
“A lot of the work is validating parts of me through noise through sound,” he says. “Instead of trying to hide parts of me, repress parts of me. Trying to smile at all the different parts of me, whether or not I’m proud of them.”
With a Little Help From His Friends
He worked with several friends throughout the process, including his dear friend Andy Dixon, who helped him with the process of song selection and mixing. Other collaborators include Jack Burg, Johnny & Hamlin Gray, and more.
“These songs were recorded… you know, wherever I could record,” Joel continues. “In my living room, in the car, at a friend’s house, or a friend’s studio, just wherever it could be captured.”
Joel is one of the most creative musicians I encountered during my time in Charleston. He is always willing to experiment and try new things, and the new Mechanical River album, Parts Work, provides the evidence.
Get tickets to see the album live at Charleston Pour House here.